Do you send goods to the EU or Northern Ireland? Six steps you need to take now.

24 November 2020

On 1 January 2021, the EU transition period will end and the UK will leave the EU Single Market and Customs Union. There will be changes to the way in which we trade with the EU and the EU trades with us, as well as changes to the way we do business with Northern Ireland. Businesses need to prepare for these changes.

Find out how to prepare your farming business even if you don’t trade directly with the EU.

If you will be exporting to the EU, or sending goods to Northern Ireland, after 31 December 2020, these are the key steps you need to take in preparation:

Check that you have an Economic Operators Registration and Identification (EORI) number. If you don’t, you’ll need to apply for one.
Check the commodity/tariff codes for your products.
Know what health certificates your products need.
Check your product labelling to make sure it is valid.
Decide if you want to make customs declarations yourself or appoint a Customs Intermediary.
Ensure your Incoterms (International Commercial Terms) outlining the delivery and shipping responsibilities are correct and up to date.

Further information and guidance on these key steps is available on the government’s transition website. You will need to register with HMRC and with other government databases if you are trading with businesses in the EU or in Northern Ireland.

Further help and guidance:

AHDB: food, farming and agriculture after EU exit

More from NFUonline:

EU exports

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